Fighting For Freedom
by FamishedSinger
Summary: When an impoverished girl tries to make some extra money by dealing with Pirates, she's accused of stealing an emerald amulet. Not believing her innocence, she is taken from everything she knows to pay off the debt. After being sold into slavery and working for the Fire Nation she struggles to survive, but is anyone willing to help her Fight for her Freedom?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** As much as I HATE when people make their own characters and ruin a perfectly good show, I'm really just trying to make a good adventure story in the world of Avatar, because lets face it, the Avatar universe is one of the best ever created! This is just a way for me to get better at writing, and to detour my writers block in my other story to something more productive. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar... Obviously.

* * *

In the event that the worst should happen, I was told to always call for help. Call for my father, a nearby friend, anyone, so that they could save me. However, when the worst did happen, and there was no one to call, what was I supposed to do?

Perhaps I've gotten too far ahead of myself. While I go back and clarify the beginnings of this tale, you may interpret my previous question all you like.

I was fifteen. I lived in a small trading port located in the western Earth Kingdom. There were tons of things to be found there. Tsungi horns, pai-sho tiles, and once I had even stumbled upon a bison whistle. It was a ridiculous thing, mostly because there was only one type of bison in the world, and the Sky Bison had become extinct along with the Air Nomads years ago. Surely it would never be sold.

My father and I owned a small shop that sold pottery of all shapes and sizes. Used for thousands of different reasons, reasons I didn't really know or care about. All I did was spend my days painting glorious themes and designs in every nation's color pallet. Father said that I had talent; personally I thought that I was alright, but no one thinks their ever really excellent at anything they do.

Well, one day it was getting pretty slow. Too, slow. I had painted the last pot, plate, vase, anything I could get my hands on, but on a day like today no one was buying pottery. Today was the day that the shifty "merchants" showed up on the docks. They always had something crazy and interesting to sell. Rare, beautiful or deadly items stocked their shelves, putting us homemade item sellers out of business for the day. Or the week depending on how much they were selling, or the amount of authority figures around that could risk the safety of their "high risk trade" items.

It was on these occasions that I enjoyed going down to the docks to stare at the ocean and take in the cool breeze. Father never approved of my traveling down to the harbor and getting near the suspicious vendors and their equally suspicious customers. Still, he never really told me not to, he just didn't approve.

"Sai, where are you heading off to?" called a boy from a neighboring stall. I knew him well. Saw him every day, and he was pretty cute. But he was meddlesome and overconfident. I didn't like him that well.

"Just the docks, Yun," I called back. "I'll be back soon don't worry."

"You shouldn't go unescorted my lady," he smirked trotting up beside me. I sighed, and let him follow. It would make father feel better with someone around, though it made my future plans for a relaxing afternoon seem dashed.

* * *

Yun's fondness for talking was only surpassed by his fondness for constant human contact. When he wasn't saying something, he insisted upon holding my hand, putting his arm around my shoulders, or on the small of my back. Not eight inches stood between me and this constant irritation. It wasn't even a sure thing that he liked me. I just think that he needed someone who would actually tolerate him. I was too nice however to tell him to leave. Confrontation was never really a strong suit at this point in my life.

As he tried to pull me closer for the fourth time, I turned and pointed to a nearby stall that was advertising some baked goods. Another thing that Yun was fond of was sweets.

"I'll be right back," he stated. "Don't wander off without me!" he ran off to inspect the shop's contents. As he paced fanatically in front of the shopkeeper, Yun was too engrossed in his decision making that he failed to notice my miraculous escape from his less-than pleasurable company.

After dodging through the masses of afternoon foot traffic, I finally ducked behind some crates. "Whew," I sighed, dramatically wiping the imaginary anxiety sweat from my forehead.

Without Yun following me and matching my every step, I got a chance to breathe and look around me. It was still earlier in the afternoon and all the boats and shops were overflowing with tourists. Soon they would disperse and the more experienced traders would file through, looking amongst the shelves for the actual valuables. Finally, I'd get a chance to browse.

Don't get me wrong, I was smart enough to know that these men and their ships were nothing but lowlife pirates and stealers, but father and I were not well off and I knew a thing or two about trade. No one was really buying pottery these days anyway, even _without_ the pirate parade moving through town, and we could use all the money we could get. It was my dream to have an actual home for us both. I was an only child, and mom died way too early in my life. Dad spent most of his days throwing himself at clay and molds instead of speaking with customers, a job which ultimately fell to me.

But to have a real house? It would be a dream come true. It didn't have to be something fancy, either. Anything would be better than the spare room at the back of the shop that we were currently living in. No one knew about that. Not even Yun, though it _did_ give me an excuse not to invite him over.

While I sat there in the shade of the crates, staring out at the harbor, I contemplated what I dreamed the house would look like. The sun started to dip low in the sky, and I noticed it was becoming cold.

"Wow, getting late already?" I stared out at the decreasing number of people on the docks. "Gee, thanks for trying so hard to come and look for me, Yun" I mumbled angrily to myself. Wasn't I worth checking on? I might as well be dead in a ditch somewhere.

Nevertheless, I made my way inside the nearest boat. It was completely silent, empty. I didn't even see a pirate behind the counter. Not that I was disappointed. The less contact with these sleazy outlaws was fine with me. Granted, that kind of thinking would generally be incentive enough to keep me off the ship in the first place, though I prefer to think of it as, minimal exposure to the sleazy outlaws.

As I stepped closer to this lovely, expensive water tribe vase, someone cleared their throat behind me. It was a… attention-grabbing man to say the least. He was definitely the cliché pirate with his one earring, oddly shaven head and beard, and lovely assortment of tattoos on his arms and chest, which was bare. Then there was his sea-worthy tan he had working. The only thing missing was the big hat. Though I suspected he wasn't a captain. Seemed too, henchman-like to be captain.

"What are you doing?" he growled.

I plastered on an innocent smile. "Just browsing through your fine wares, good sir," I replied. His scowl only deepened. "Truly."

"Hong, are you scaring a potential customer?" I jumped and turned. Where were all these pirates coming from?

"Ah," I mumbled. There was the big hat, plus an added reptile bird on his shoulder, and a flashy outfit. This was unquestionably the captain.

"Sorry Cap'n," the man named Hong replied, confirming my assumption. He moved to a far corner of the room and watched me.

"Forgive me miss, good salesmen are hard to come by," he said smoothly with a smile, a smile that I didn't really trust.

"Of course," I grinned back.

"Is there something that caught your eye, or rather something I can help you find?" he inched towards me, gesturing at the shelves. His eyes landed on the vase I had noticed earlier.

"Perhaps this mint condition water tribe vase? It is from the Northern Tribe itself. Very expensive, though I won't bore you with its history."

_Of course you wouldn't. That would entail you telling me where it really came from, or more likely from whom_.

"No thank you," I replied humbly. "I've had enough of vases and pottery, though that necklace _is_ rather eye-catching." I pointed to a beaded necklace made of emerald rocks and pure white shells.

"Ah, got an eye for the emeralds?"

"It may be a cliché, since I live in the Earth Kingdom, but green truly is my favorite color." I stepped closer to it. It was so lovely. I might have even bought it for myself if my father and I didn't need the money. Oh but it is so beautiful.

"Indeed it is beautiful," he replied. Had I said that out loud? "However it is far too pricey for you I imagine."

"You'd imagine correctly." I sighed unhappily.

"Well I'll allow you to keep browsing. My boy Hong here will be up all night so don't rush." He disappeared through a curtain I'd not noticed before. Creepy.

"So, Hong," I said with a bit of flirtatious enthusiasm. "What will you be willing to bargain for at the price of seven silver pieces?"

* * *

After a good amount of haggling and browsing, I'd settled on a bracelet of fake rubies, a Lotus flower hairpiece, and blackthorn chopsticks which I would later paint a design on. They'd surely sell for some good money if I used the right techniques.

The next day I had already sold the hair piece and chopsticks at a fantastic profit by noon, and the rubies were being eyed by a petite woman with a rounded pregnant belly while her husband chatted up my father and tried to buy a teal and violet vase at half price. He was losing.

"So, how much would you be willing to take?" She asked timidly, obviously unsure of herself.

"Depends on what you'd part with I suppose." I said expertly. She grew more uneasy, eyeing her husband. She knew not how to bargain money.

"How about six copper pieces?" I offered.

The little woman held out four, and whispered, "This is all I can spare." My first thought was _then you shouldn't be buying jewelry_, but as a poor girl myself, I knew that cheap trinkets were hard to come by, and you'd never be able to afford real ones.

So, feeling her pain with tenacity, I took only three of the coins. "Have a great day!" I said cheerily. "Oh, and is it a boy or a girl?"

She ran her hand over the smooth surface of her belly. "A girl." Then her husband collected her and they left.

I sighed. Dad came up behind me and patted my shoulder. "Your mother looked just like that before she had you." I smiled a little.

"Was she really that little?"

"Oh yeah, but she was tough! Scary even, when she needed to be." He roared with laughter. It made me smile even more. "When you get in squabbles with customers, you remind me of her, but you got my height I will admit."

"I do not _squabble_." I argued, and stood a bit taller, my eyes only reaching his neck. I was still real tall for a girl, maybe five foot nine or so. Dad was definitely six or more.

He ruffled my hair playfully and laughed some more. I laughed with him and smoothed it down.

"I don't know why you didn't keep that hairpiece, or the rubies, though. You deserve something nice."

"Thanks dad, but you know that we need the money." I sighed and picked up a paintbrush.

"We don't need anything." He said roughly. "I've got you, and that's all I need."

I smiled again. "Thanks again I appreciate it. But dad, all I want is a nice house. A real one, not that spare room!"

"I know, but there is a difference between wanting, and needing. One day you'll meet some wonderful man, and the two of you will buy a nice house together. I'm perfectly happy with that spare room."

"But you deserve more! I won't leave you to live in a life of poverty while I move somewhere far off with some man. You should be able to retire, and relax and live!"

"Sai," he started, trying to reason with me about a ridiculous notion.

"How could you ask me to do anything like that?" I yelled. "I'd never leave you!"

"One day you'll have to."

I ran out of the store. "Whatever," I called over my shoulder. "But it won't be today. I _will_ come back!" I fumed all the way to the pastry shop from yesterday.

When I finally did run out of steam, and stopped mumbling to myself, all I could do was just flop down on the ground in a small corner between two shops. I then put my face in my hands and tried real hard to not scream my frustration. I couldn't believe that he wanted me to leave him to that run down shack he called a business.

That wasn't a life. It was a sentencing.

I stayed away all day. Not really sure why I spent so much time away. I wasn't angry anymore, but maybe it was just me getting some air. I really did _hate_ that shop. If it weren't for the painting I'd go insane. All I did was walk around. Some people had a lot more business than we did. For starters, there stalls were much closer to the water, making it a shorter walk, while mine was all the way toward the back. Second, their items for sale were much more interesting. Figurines, jewelry, clothing, food, all way better than pots with random uses.

Maybe that was the answer! Get a new location, sell some more variety of items, and rake in the gold! Seemed like a pretty simple answer. I decided to pitch the idea to dad right away. I knew I could convince him. There were even empty stalls for sale near the front, and we had some saved money, including the amount I'd earned today.

While walking the way back, I noticed it was even later than I thought, even later then when I'd headed home yesterday. I didn't really worry though. It was real quiet and no one was around anyway. Then it crossed my mind that it was just a bit too quiet.

The final thing I noticed was that footsteps behind me made way more noise trying to match my pace while I was running, then when I was shuffling along two minuets ago. My first instinct was to just race madly home and duck inside, but leading a potential robber or murderer to my father and business, seemed stupid.

So, I raced madly back to _Yun's_ shop and ducked inside _that_ one.

_You're such a good friend_. My thoughts whispered.

As I had expected, the footsteps followed me into the shop merely seconds after I had found a hiding space in the back room. I had crawled my way under the small desk with papers littering the whole room. At least _their_ back room was used as an office and not a bedroom.

First there was loud banging. Tons of things were smashed, shoved aside and ripped apart. It was maddeningly loud and lasted a while. What was worse was the silence that followed. I couldn't hear a single thing but my own heavy breathing as I tried to remain calm. Without the smashing I couldn't tell where they were, or how many there were, or even if they were still in the shop.

Some people would eventually venture out of the shop and start running. I thought that would be stupid since they'd probably see me and chase me down the street until I tripped or fell or something. So I stayed under that desk. I had planned to sleep the whole damn night away until Yun's family showed up and I would explain later, but that didn't work out either.

By all that is unfair and horrible in the world, I sneezed. I freaking sneezed! It was such a cliché, but that's what happened. The footsteps came into the backroom and shoved the desk away, finding me cowering helpless in the corner. I was about to let them take me without a fight, because some panic-stricken part of my brain said _if you cant even hide properly, why shouldn't you be found_? But that was unintelligent so I started to scream and thrash and prevent myself from being grabbed.

It turns out there was only one guy, but he still managed to overpower me into submission with a foul smelling gag, a blindfold, and some thick rope. He carried my thrashing, screaming body for a good ten minutes or so before I started to smell seawater. The only thing that came to my brain at that point was _please, dear spirits don't throw me bound, gagged, and blind into the ocean_!

Fortunately that was not my destination. He crossed a wooden surface and led me inside something that rocked back and forth.

"Welcome back, missy," sneered a familiar voice. I shivered.

The blindfold was removed and I was in the presence of the Pirate Captain from earlier. He did NOT look happy, though his greeting suggested otherwise.

"Hi-ya," I said back jokingly. He slapped me hard.

"Shut up," he replied threateningly. I could taste blood in my mouth. "Where is my necklace?"

"What?" he slapped me again. "Ow! Bastard! If you want some information don't make me unable speak, you moron!"

By the third slap I was crying.

"Where is it!" he screamed. "Where are my emeralds?"

"I don't know!" I cried even harder. "I didn't steal those stupid emeralds I swear! All I _bought_ were the fake rubies, the hair thing, and those chopsticks! Whoever it was came here after me!"

I could tell he didn't believe me. He pulled a small knife from his belt and held it up to my neck. I tried to lean farther and farther away, but he grabbed my hair and held me close to the glinting metal.

"Tell me," the knife dug into some skin. "Now."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I've edited the first chapter for no reason other than it bugged me… so yeah. Here is Chapter two! (Way earlier than I expected but I'm on a roll), Though I'm not really good at intense situations, I tried my best. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Avatar the Last Airbender. Life isn't that great.

* * *

When you're faced with a dire situation, your brain starts to slow down, but your body begins to speed up. Words don't form correctly and you start to panic, your body starts to shake, and sweating becomes second nature. Forget about slowing your heart down, that thing is freaking out.

Another thing that happens, more rarely, you begin to see a moment of clarity. At this moment, my options were to tell the truth and slowly be tortured, or lie and die quickly. It was a grim aspect either way you looked at it, but when you _know_ that that's the only way out of this horrible situation that's giving you a heart attack, you pretty much go with it. And as much as my pride urged me to stick to my guns and hope for the best, I knew this wouldn't have a happy ending.

So in a moment of weakness and pure terror of the bite of that grime-ridden knife, I confessed to a crime that I didn't even commit.

"Please! Stop! Okay, okay, I took them! I sold them to a wealthy nobleman for some gold." I pleaded with my eyes, praying that he'd stop only a moment. Just for a moment, so I could pray to the spirits for a painless death.

"Who?" He asked calmer now, but the knife didn't leave my neck. Small drops of blood were dripping on the floor with soft splashes. It made me cringe.

"I don't know his name. He came in, bought them, and left." I managed to squeak out. "Please, you're hurting me." I tried to pull away again, but it dug just the slightest bit deeper. I felt faint.

"Where's the gold?" his voice was terrifyingly calm now. There was no more screaming, just menacing quiet.

I tried to come up with something. A bit of what I was thinking earlier came into my brain. "I used it up to buy a shop closer to the shore, it's all gone now."

The Captain roared with rage. He disappeared behind a curtain and screamed mangled, angry words. Soon Hong appeared and grabbed me by bound arms, steering me to a small hatch in the floor. It went deep into the belly of the ship.

_It's so dark down there_. Panic started to rise in my stomach again as he shoved me down through this ridiculously small hole. I barely fit and I banged my head against the boards before falling square on my back into the darkness.

_Great. Now I can't breathe and my head is pounding._ If it weren't so dark down there I would be sure that my vision was going dim. My lungs finally started to get their air back as my mind fogged over and my eyes closed. The last glimpse of light was from the lamp above me, before they closed the hatch.

The next morning featured the most unpleasant way to wake up in the history of my life. My back and arms hurt, because when I fell they were still bound in front of me, so the cramping began while I slept. My neck was sticky and crusty all at the same time with that copper smell that went along with dried blood and my head had a bump on it the size of an egg.

I sat up carefully, trying to make out any of my surroundings. Cracks in the floorboards above allowed enough light for me to discover I was in the lowest point of the ship where the cargo was held. I felt just like cargo myself. Crates and barrels were littered everywhere. Then there were food stores, and random amounts of rope you'd usually find on a ship. I also noticed that a rope ladder with about five rungs on it hung from the hatch I was pushed through.

It seemed WAY too easy for the latch on the little door to be unlocked and allow my easy escape, but just to make sure I thought I'd check it out. First though, the ropes needed to come off my hands. The ones on my legs had come loose from improper tying, but my hands held fast. Looking around for anything sharp and dangerous was futile. I didn't expect them to throw me in the room with all the weapons, _but_ it would have been a nice coincidence.

Finally, I spotted a barrel with a metal ring around the top in the corner of the ship. The metal ring had come loose just enough for me to maneuver my hands around the sharp edge and scrape it against the ropes. It was slightly effective in tearing, but I had gotten through enough to just pull it slowly apart. When the ropes _did_ come off, I found that my wrists were rubbed raw and incredibly red.

"Ouch," I winced when I touched a sore spot. "Okay, here goes." I made my way over to the rope ladder and, powering through the pain, I began pulling my aching body upwards.

The thing was small, flimsy and almost impossible to scale, but when I finally reached the top, the latch opened on its own and Hong was glaring down at me.

"Hehe, uh, hi?" I said weakly.

He just sort of … growled and hoisted me up by the collar, lifting me right out of that hole and set me on the floor. He grabbed me by the bleeding wrists, and proceeded to march me through the curtain, past a fancy door which probably led to the Captain's cabin and up a small flight of stairs to the main deck.

The sun was blinding in contrast to the pitch black hole I had been sleeping in. My eyes took a few moments to adjust.

It was at this point that I realized the pirate ship I had spent my night was no longer docked in my town. Around us there was nothing but miles and miles of sea, stretching endlessly. How had we traveled this far in such a short time?

I personally, was surrounded by a lovely bunch of disgusting pirates. It was unnerving the way they glared at me. There wasn't a single friendly face, and I must have pissed off way more people than the Captain by "taking" those stupid rocks. Some showed their teeth or spat in my direction, another was sharpening some daggers in a corner. I snuck behind Hong and shivered.

"Mornin' missy," sneered the Captain. The crowd of pirates split in half as he made his way towards me.

_Oh great_. My jaw pulsed with pain from when he'd struck me the night before. I wasn't in the mood for another beat-down so I tried to remain pleasant.

"Good morning, Captain." I replied quietly, staring at my feet.

"Oh, quiet now are we? I expected some more shoutin' than that." he laughed a little. "It seems the little thief has learned her lesson, eh boys?" the crowd's snarled faces turned into mockery, the corners of their mouths turning up into a smile. It made me sick.

"Where are we?" I asked angrily, my eyes still fixed on the salty deck.

"Far from home, that's for sure." he laughed.

"Why? I know you're angry but what possible reason is there for kidnapping me?" The ship was moving at a generously fast pace to the north. Where we were headed exactly, I couldn't even guess.

"Well, that's the very reason I brought you here this morning. You see, you may have slipped through our fingers with those emeralds the first time, but you see, they were very, very valuable. Now, you're going to repay your debt to us."

"What? How?" I was scared of the answer.

He came closer. I could smell salt, grime, and tobacco on him. Then again, everything smelled like that. "You're small, not sturdy enough to do hard labor. You're unsteady on your feet, so not even seaworthy. You're no use to me, or my men on a ship."

Damn. All of that was true. Not that I was particularly offended but it only meant one thing. I wasn't going to stay on this ship long, and being in the presence of these men led me to believe they were _way_ too creepy to just smuggle products from port to port. Sure they were thieves and liars, and just looking upon their smug, disgusting faces made my skin crawl, but there was more to them than that. Even a thief has morals and conviction, but these men had not even a shred of either of those things. Only the lowest of the low, do what they do.

"Enjoy your all expense paid voyage, because in a few days, you'll be gracing the presence of a _very_ wealthy Fire Nation Major. His order was put in weeks ago, and I _just_ figured out what item would be perfect for him."

Slave traders.

* * *

A/N: End of Chapter two!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! In honor of those who did review, I attempted to make this chapter as fast as possible.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Avatar. If I did it _never_ would have gone off the air.** -_-**

The situation I now found myself in seemed almost impossible. In the pitch darkness of the belly of the ship, my brain attempted to wrap itself around the thought that I no longer had free will.

The familiar feeling of being identical to cargo crept into me with a whole new reality. I _was_ cargo. I was just another valuable item for purchase that the scum of the Earth sold to gluttonous monsters. And those greedy hands never even gave a second thought as to where the items came from, or whether or not they were leaving someone behind. Someone who was missing them.

Someone like my father.

Though I gave a valiant effort to not think about my father, I ended up thinking of the last words I said to him.

"_I'd never leave you!"_

"_One day you'll have to."_

_I ran out of the store. "Whatever," I called over my shoulder. "But it won't be today. I will come back!"_

"I will come back," I whispered to the empty darkness. I never thought that I would be lying to him.

The ship went on for weeks. During which time I was given small amounts of food and minuets of fresh air every afternoon. Each time I leaned over the rail to feel the water spraying my face, and smell the clean sea air, I contemplated just throwing myself over, hands bound and everything. But I had not lost my will to live yet. I just assumed that they'd fish me out anyway, and that it would be a fine way to inconvenience them.

Still, water from time to time bothered me. I didn't know why. Probably a bad suppressed childhood memory that I couldn't conjure up.

There wasn't any mentionable way off of this smelly haul they called a ship. For the longest time we spent days drifting in the middle of the ocean with no land mass in sight. It was maddening. No one would tell me when we were due to arrive, and I wished I could know how much time I had left.

The only thing that kept me occupied were these mandatory "lessons" I needed to learn in the Captain's Cabin. His excuse was that he didn't want a bad reputation for selling a defective product, but really he enjoyed watching me slowly deteriorate in front of his eyes. My eyes developed dark bags beneath them; my hair was scraggly and unwashed, and my weight had gone down a good amount.

When he was done with his awful comments on how much of a disgrace I was, he said the same thing over and over.

"Do whatever he tells you, don't look him in the eye, And _don't_ make me look bad you hear?"

"Gee thanks," I mumbled silently on my way out the door. Hong greets me with his cold eyes, and binds my hands again.

"You know, Hong, I don't see why it's necessary to bind my hands in the first place." My wrists grew sores that I couldn't bear to look at.

We venture out on deck. He is silent as always. "If I had my hands it's not like I'd make it to shore anyway. Come on man. Give me a break?"

"No." I'm startled by his voice.

"Why not?" I demand.

"You're no use to us dead. No value in a corpse." His bitter tone seemed bored by the mention of my cold dead body.

"How do you know that I won't just jump over the edge and drown myself with the ropes _on_?" I challenge.

"I have seen you gaze over the edge. You do not wish for death, no matter how bleak your future looks." He smirks. "You're a survivor."

I'm puzzled by his newfound voice, _and_ his strangely kind words. "Eloquently put for a dumb henchman." I try to get a jab in there.

"I'm dumb when I have to be. But don't got telling Jarvis over there." he points to a filthy squat man picking his teeth with an equally dirty knife. "He thinks all the games I win at Pai Sho are pure dumb luck."

I giggle. It is the first indication of happiness since I got on this Spirit forsaken peace of driftwood. Now Hong is the one startled.

"What are you laughing at, girl?" He demands angrily.

The moment is gone. "I just never expected you of all people to have a sense of humor."

He grunts and hauls me back to my hole. After dropping me in, though, he doesn't close the hatch, but removes the rope ladder. I sit in the small square of light, and gaze into the darkness around me. I mentally whisper a small thank you to Hong for the glow. It's a small comfort, but better than none at all. It seems like each day the men on the ship develop tans that are more and more distinct, while I slowly pale in the darkness of the cargo hold. Though the lamplight would barely tone my skin, its symbolic warmth gives my saddened soul something to be joyful about.

Never had I had so much time with my thoughts. I always assumed that back at the shop with nothing but a brush in my hand and pictures in my head, that my thoughts were practically spilling over with my concentrated silence. The only break in it was the visits of customers, who always wanted to chat. It always seemed like I had more time on my hands than I could handle and it angered me, made me restless. I only realize now that my life was incredibly demanding compared to what I suffered through now.

At night I cried. With nothing to occupy my brain I thought of home. Its cramped spaces, the smell of paint fumes everywhere, the small ring of the bamboo chimes hanging above the shop door. My father's laugh, the clink of money in someone's pockets, the hard stool I sat on day after day, every memory bringing me to tears.

My sobbing was loud, though no one seemed to care. The ship rocked steadily at night, the men either sleeping or gambling. Some kept watch above deck causing a small thumping noise. It made me feel less alone when I heard those footsteps melodically pacing back and forth.

The only thing that was worth sleeping my days away in the cargo hold was the abundance of food scattered about. Nothing was ever fresh by any means, or at all appetizing, but it was in large supply and no one noticed anything go missing. Since pirates rarely traded food, (I mean who would buy it?) it was only for the purpose of getting the men from one place to another. They ate only what they needed and they never really tried to keep it fresh. I stuffed myself on occasion; anything bland was made salty with some tears, easily. It was a depressing state of things, I'll tell you.

Still, whatever was there never really had sugars or fats, and I never really gained weight. I started to think they were trying to starve me after a while, but then something happened.

"Land ho!"

My ears perked up from beneath the ruddy cloth I slept under. _What?_ I could have sworn I had heard something.

"Captain, land ho!" cried the voice again.

I shot up like a bamboo stalk. Land! I was excited, terrified, and relieved at the same time. After weeks of not even knowing where we were headed or if we were even going anywhere melted away and I rejoiced. Even though the unknown awaited me, I still wanted nothing more than to touch dry land again. I never liked boats.

The hatch opened for hopefully the final time in my life, and the rope ladder rolled down. I grasped it and started to climb. It was flimsy as always, and my wrists were bloody and raw, but I had a whole new incentive now. I was getting out of here.

…

I practically fell off the side of the boat when the shoreline ventured into my sight. The green forests, the white sand, and most of all the swarming docks excited me beyond belief. It was like a whole new breath of fresh air, which would be fantastic since the men on this ship were less than hygienic.

As Hong peeled me off the rail by my collar I realized that he was leading me back to the cabin.

"Wait, wait!" I cried flailing my arms in protest. "Land is that-a-way!" Pointing frantically failed to catch Hong's attention, and I wasn't strong enough to stop him from carting me away.

He flopped me down in the chair across from the Captain himself. The man's eyes were amused and his snarl was less… foul.

"You're in a lovely mood this morning," I commented. "Sir." _Nice Catch_.

He raised his eyebrows. "It's well past noon, missy, but yes I suppose I am."

"Really?" _How long was I asleep_?

"You seem to be in a pretty good mood yourself. I'm guessin' you've been up on deck to see land? Probably thought we'd never dock anywhere didn't ya?" He chuckled at my facial expression.

"Well don't worry; you'll be up and about in public again in no time. However, before that happens we need to go over a few things. And while we do," he gestured behind me. The door had opened and pirates poured in with covered baskets. They set them on the desk in front of me.

With a flick of his wrist, the baskets were uncovered and large amounts of fresh food were present. Rolls, fruit, salad, cakes, and legs of meat were scattered around me. My mouth watered involuntarily in a very un-ladylike fashion. I tried to wipe it casually but my eyes wouldn't return to normal dimension after growing to the size of plates.

"Eat."

_Okay_!

My hands found the first thing they could. A _huge_ leg of meat was instantly being consumed at a rapid pace. When I'd had enough of that I reached for some fresh fruit, but the Captain slapped my hand away.

"Not that. Cake, now." I raised my eyebrows, suddenly nervous. I did not move towards the tray even though my hands were twitching.

"Why?" I challenged.

He stood up. "Because missy, it's time to get you fat again."

"Hey, I wasn't fat before!"

"Not the point. You see, I wasn't happy with your figure when we found you because my customers are very specific. So during your little vacation, we've starved you into a base weight. Call it, 'Level Zero' if you will. Now that we've reached our destination, it's time to make you the perfect weight. So first, eat the cake. You can take the rolls, fruit, and salad with you to your room."

"It's not a room it's a hole, and I'm not going back down there." He passed me something deliciously chocolate, and as offended as I was, I couldn't resist. So I settled for eating it with a stern facial expression.

"No, not the cargo holds. You and I are going to settle in at an inn until I'm through with you." He got up and started rummaging through some papers.

"An inn?" I asked. "I thought you were selling me off." Not that I was complaining of course.

"Relax; you'll be gone soon enough. I personally can't wait to get you out of my sight. You and your attitude, rebelliousness, rude…" he rambled on for a while. I snagged some berries and dipped them in the chocolate.

"Unfortunately, your buyer is not going to be in town for another two days, so we've just enough time to fatten you properly, and teach you a few more manners. But don't get any ideas, missy. You're not leaving the room. Ever. Sunlight will be a forgotten dream to you. Understand?" his eyes were terrifying.

I swallowed slowly and mustered up some attitude. "Will Hong be joining us as well?" I looked at the filthy man and winked.

The Captain slapped me hard. I grabbed my jaw, mouth wide open.

"It'll heal in two days." He said finally and waved me out.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys! I am so so so so so sorry that I have not updated in FOREVER. My computer died, the poor hard drive crashed and it couldn't find its own operating system. I had JUST finished this chapter too and it was all ready for publishing before my computer went to sleep and never woke up….

So, I bring this to you now because I couldn't wait to start writing again!  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar Universe

* * *

When someone says things like "We're going to stay at an inn" the first thing you think of is a nice bed, a warm room, good food, and pleasant hospitable hosts. What I was currently staring at was anything but hospitable. I don't even think it could be considered habitable!

The inn itself was not the most luxurious by any means. It was a simple pagoda, rice-paper wall, bamboo mat-floor type of thing. It was one story with many good rooms. Being smack dab in the middle of the town, there was no ocean view, but it wasn't cramped, and it was small and cozy. Unfortunately the little old man who ran it was a slave trader himself, making his little cozy inn seem shifty and sickening.

My room was a small four by six outer wall apartment with holes in the walls and pieces of bamboo mat missing with nothing but dirt to cover the empty space. Some of the holes were hastily boarded up with uneven slabs of wood. A sad excuse for a bed lay in the far corner. Next to it was a small hole leading to an alley filled with garbage.

"Charming," I said quietly under my breath.

The little old man scuttled in and with a small respective bow said, "You're favorite room, sir."

"Favorite!?" I cried.

The Captain gave me a stern glare. "Yes, my usual." He tossed a few silver pieces to the Innkeeper. After being paid in full, the little old man bowed out as fast as he could and returned to some unknown place that I didn't care to ponder on.

"Alright missy," The Captain turned to me. "This is where you'll be stayin' for a little while. You'll eat what's given to ya, and you'll stay quiet got it? Any unnecessary shoutin' could bring an unsuspectin' Good Samaritan to this door, and then my boys here would have to run the poor bastard through. You don't want that blood on your hands do ya?" He asked enjoying my expression.

"No, sir," I answered meekly.

"Exactly. So be a good girl and stay put." He turned to his lackeys who I assumed would be my babysitters. "Not a sound boys. This little wench has a mouth on her."  
I stuck my tongue out at his retreating back. The door slammed shut.

I was alone in the room. The men stayed outside in the hall playing Pai Sho and gambling loudly. I guess it was less suspicious to hear the racket of a group of laughing men than the squeaks of one sobbing girl.

As the sun dipped low into the sky, I began settling in. Less disgusted and more exhausted, I flopped onto the bed and sighed at the comfortable, though smelly, blankets.

As I lay there in the darkness, staring at nothing, dreams would not take me. My mind wandered. The shadows that it began to gather were less than comforting. Whispers were attempting to penetrate my immediate thought.

What was finally dawning on me was dark and cold. I knew that I was here because I was being sold into slavery, that was obvious. In fact, it was pretty simple. I had never thought of what it would be like to be a slave. Not for real. It seemed so far away, like I would never reach that point in this twisted journey.

When I really did think about it, it scared me.

In the slave business...werent girls for...?

The thought would not surface into words for me. I nearly went into a panic attack. Curled up into my protective little ball, i began to hyperventilate. I couldn't stop the shaking. It seemed impossible! Immoral! Well of course it was immoral, they were pirates and slave traders. Lack of morality was in the job description.

I began to cry on my disgusting excuse for a bed. The men outside cared not for my troubles or my situation, but one of them had heard my sobs and stuck his head in for a second. He glared at me and signaled for me to keep it down. I whimpered instead.

The night grew cold very quickly. Suddenly my shivering was no longer from panicked anxiety. By now I was exhausted, and couldn't bring myself to cry anymore.

I'm sorry dad. I am not as strong as you thought I was.

Spirits, I missed him.

Finally I drifted into sleep. My dreams didn't make any sense; all i saw was blue water, green stones, and dark corners. I awoke not minuets later with a groan. All I wanted was some SLEEP! This mat is lumpy, its freezing, and those men haven't shut up in what seemed like three hours!

"Don't these guys sleep?" I mumbled to myself and turned over, my nose out the hole in the wall facing the alley. "Oh, yuck."

The smell was unbearable. I shut my eyes and held my hand over my face.

Sniff.

_Sniff_.

SNIFF!

"What the!?" I cried and moved away from the fuzzy nose protruding from the hole in the wall. It sniffed relentlessly and attempted to weasel its way into my hovel.

"Wh-what is that thing?" I asked no one in particular. I suppose I was asking the thing itself since it seemed to hear me and backed away. Suddenly equally fuzzy paws started scratching at the wall. "No! No, shhh!" I said sticking my hand out the hole.

Well that can't be safe. I scolded myself as the unknown creature began to lick my hand. I had a sudden vision of the thing biting my fingers off and running away with them. I snatched my hand away and accidentally knocked it over. The thing began to whimper and yelp.

"Shh! Please stop I'm sorry!" I stuck my hand back out to comfort it and it licked me again. Finally I slowly pulled my hand back and stuck my face near the hole.

Big brown eyes were staring back at me in the form of a dog. A...Dog!?

"Spirits..." I whispered in awe. I had never seen a real dog before. It wasn't mixed with anything like a normal hybrid animal.

It was a genuine dog, and a puppy no less! But what was it doing in an alleyway? A real pure dog was a treasure. This animal belonged at the feet of the Earth King. He already had a bear.

_This little...what was it? Guy? Guy. This little guy is adorable!_ I thought to myself. His body was mostly brown but his face, feet, and pointed ears were black. Its long tail was wagging merrily and its tongue had practically fallen off with how much it was licking me. It looked like a little wolf pup thing, though I'd never seen a real wolf either. Only in drawings.

"Hey boy." I smiled.

At my voice the dog barked at me in joy. His tail went wild. He jumped and yelped and was so excited I forgot that It was supposed to be silent.

"HEY! Shut up in there!" Screamed one of the men. The door was thrown open and he stalked in. I slammed my back against the hole and begged the puppy to be quiet.

The pirate raised his hand in warning and I flinched instinctively. "Useless piece of-"

"Jarvis!" I hear Hong's voice from the hall. "Hit her and there's Hell to pay."

Jarvis growled at the door, then turned back and spat at my feet. Then the pirate stalked out, slamming the door behind him.

I waited a few minutes. The puppy's clawing at my back had ceased. For a moment I was scared it was gone. Finally I took a deep breath and looked out the hole again though, I was very startled to see a pair of boots looking back.


	5. Chapter 5

**Another chapter already!? The madness! :D This was originally part of the last chapter but I figure, why not let the story progress a bit more? So here it is! Chapter 5!**

Disclaimer: Are these even necessary anymore? I do NOT own A:TLA

* * *

Eli always liked how a town looked from the rooftops at night. It was amazing how bright the moon was, shining on the sleepy buildings. There were so many stars out too. But it was very, very cold. Eli's breaths were like misty shadows that had more important things to do tonight than to remain in his lungs.

_Its a little too cold if you ask me._ Eli thought to himself. A shadow moved silently beneath him and disappeared into the Inn he was currently monitoring. _You better hurry up J._

Tonight's objective: rations to hold the fort for the next week. Everyone at base would need it when Eli and J left to take care of things in the East. Though it shouldn't take them a whole week, Fire Nation camps were hard to crack and you never knew how long you'd be away.

Several quiet moments passed without his companion's return. Eli wasn't concerned. If J didn't know how to take care of himself he wouldn't be the one in charge of all the missions. So Eli patiently waited, his bow preloaded with a fine-tipped arrow accentuated with emerald-black feathers. His signature mark.

With vision as clear as a Fire Nation messenger hawk, it is no surprise that Eli was chosen to be the lookout for nearly every mission, that and his accuracy with a bow. So it was then when the previously quiet alley beneath him began making noise, Eli drew his arrow back and peered down at the small creature sticking its nose into a hole in the Inn.

"Well what do you know." Eli exclaimed quietly. "That's definitely a pure little pup down there." What was it doing with it's nose in a hole in the wall? Though what was odd to the archer was that there was even a hole for the pup to stick its head into in the first place.

_Isn't this an inn? Not very hospitable if you ask me._

Eli let his arrow rest. He wasn't about to shoot an innocent pup. So instead he decided to watch it for a bit, while periodically scanning the area. At least it was something to do. J was taking forever, and the night was beautiful and all, but the life of a solitary archer was a lonely one.

Suddenly the dog began to shriek up something terrible. Eli jumped in his spot and drew his arrow tight, scanning the alley and the inn. Each window, door, and lighted pagoda wall in an attempt to find the source of the disturbance.

"Shh! Please stop I'm sorry!" Came a hurried whisper from the hole in the wall. Eli aimed fast and looked through the proverbial crosshairs that was his perfect vision.

A slender, pale arm had snaked its way out of the inn and attempted to comfort the dog, and quiet it down. Eli silently thanked the feminine voice for making it stop. The noisy racked would no doubt give away his position in one way or another.

Just as he was content with sitting back and relaxing his arm once more, the dog barked so incredibly loud that Eli thought that his nerves were practically shot. He jumped up again and pulled even tighter, so tight that the bowstring frayed and snapped altogether.

…

…..

_This isn't happening._

There were no words to describe the fury he was feeling. Not to mention the shock at his carelessness. This was the archer's favorite, professional Redwood Longbow with an Elder Vine string and Rare Ivory hand grip.

"Pup, you're lucky that I no longer have an instrument in which to kill you with." He mumbled as he gracefully leapt down into the alley.  
He picked it up and it squirmed but apparently sensing the good side of the archer, stopped and licked his face.

"Yeah, yeah I know." Eli rolled his eyes and patted its head. Now that he was fuming a little less he really began to listen to the sounds inside the inn.

"Useless piece of-"

"Jarvis! Hit her and there's Hell to pay."

_**SLAM**_

Quiet, terrified sounds came from inside the room.

_Whoa..._

Eli moved closer to the hole, standing directly in front of it. He heard the person inside move closer to the hole, and the gasp that came after was slightly amusing. Guess they were expecting the puppy. Not a pair of muddy old fur boots. Carefully, slowly, he bent down and attempted to peer into the hole.

A pair of emerald eyes with dark bags under them peered back, shining with old tears. "Uh, you alright in there?"

There was a pause. "Oh yeah! Fine, good, er...great!" She stuttered attempting to wave him away, brush him aside. He looked closer.  
No way.

"Pardon me, miss." He whispered. Coughing loudly, attempting to give it a feminine flair as he did so, Eli tore away a good portion of wall so he could see the extent of the girl's lies.

"Oh yeah. You're just peachy." At this point Eli wished his vision was just a little more fuzzy.

Clearly in the moonlight he could see black and blue fingerprints on her arms. Cuts and scrapes on her legs, more than likely from sleeping or kneeling on hard surfaces. A few good slaps to the face must be the reason for that swollen cheek.

Someone must've worn a ring.

Then there was her weight. Girl looked like she'd just blow away. Her fingernails were long and dirty, hair so greasy it was clear she'd not bathed in...well to put it nicely, a while. Though she smelled alright, thank the Spirits.

At a loss for words the girl stared back, breathing heavily and eyes wide. She really did look terrified. Finally she spoke.

"I-I always look like this." Then she cracked the most forced smile Eli had ever seen in his life.

He raised his eyebrows. "You do?"

"Are you questioning my lifestyle?"

He would have laughed if he possessed any emotion other than horrified sympathy. "I'm questioning your story."

"Please, please just...go. I don't want your help!" Her voice was such a hoarse whisper. "You're...muddy and gross and I don't want you near me!" She cringed, attempting to turn her nose up in disgust.

The boy and the girl stared each other down for a while. When Eli didn't reply, the girl's expression slowly changed from fake distaste to confusion, and back to scared.

"Please..." New tears began to replace the old ones. "Please go. They'll kill you if they see you. I can't have someone nice like you die because of me. I may not be able to change my future, but at least I can try to keep your death out of it, if you would_ just go_." She sobbed again.

The puppy dropped from his arms and ran to her to lick up the drops of salt. The corners of her mouth turned up a little.

"W-what happened to you?"

"I was...stupid. I made the wrong decision and now I have to live with it." Not meaning for him to hear she whispered, "and possibly die with it..."

Eli was at a loss for words. Her small declaration of dealing with a mistake that brought her to **_this_** was admirable, but completely insane.

"Trust me, I can handle this. I can live through this..." She wiped the tears away and gave a genuine brave smile to the boy she hardly knew. "Spirits bless you for your kind heart, and your concern, but I couldn't live with myself if I was responsible for your death if you get involved."

"I can't just walk away from a broken, starved girl who seems to not be in her right mind." He argued. "And you underestimate me."

She laughed without humor. "You think I'm crazy? I guess I can understand that. I mean listen to me."

Eli said nothing.

"Please, just go." Then she carefully removed the puppy from her lap, kissed its head, and handed it to the stranger across from her.

"You should keep him."

"I will just end up leaving him anyway. Besides," the puppy nipped at the archer and licked him happily. "He likes you, and he's not mine. Make him a hunter like you."

Then she got up, walked over to the door leading to the terrible men with the harsh voices, announced she needed to use the bathroom, and left, without another word.

Confused, and feeling guilty, Eli realized there was nothing he could do here. Though the regret of turning his back on her was awful.

"_PSSST_!" Eli spun, startled. "Come'on man! I've got the goods, now lets get outta here!"

J was back.

They began walking out of the alleyway and into the street.

"What the Hell is that?" J gestured toward the puppy in Eli's arms.

"Uh...a gift, I guess."

"From who?"

Eli thought about it. "You know, I have no idea."

One very arched eyebrow was the response. Finally J shrugged and said, "Okay then."

He turned on his heel and sprinted away.

Eli looked down at his new friend. "What just happened?"

The pup merely raised his ears and cocked his head to the side in response.

"Yeah. That's what I thought."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! I hoped that last chapter didn't end too badly. Truly it was a bit cliche, but what else was there to say? Really?**  
***Shoutouts to Bigby the Big Bad Wolf, Ctin939, and Sadiera Manx! My only reviewers but enough to keep me typing!***

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own A:TLA...**

* * *

I contemplated my stupidity as I dry-heaved over a sad excuse for a toilet. Frankly it was more of a hole that... you know what? I'll spare you the details. Anyway, all I could do was flashback to the many years planted on my stool contemplating "adventures" like this. I always pictured a grand escapade that was daring and exciting, dangerous and romantic.

One day, I had a revelation. I had been wondering what it would be like to sail all the way to the Fire Nation and take down the Fire Lord myself with nothing but a fan and some face paint like the Kyoshi Warriors. Suddenly it occurred to the twelve year old version of myself that dangerous adventures could one day wind up with painful encounters or even death. It was then that I promised myself if I'd ever gotten off that damn stool and saw the world, if I ever got captured or in a bad situation, I would fight. No matter what, I would survive.

Did I do that?

No.

Did I even _TRY_?

Well...no. Not really.

Why the Spirits NOT! This nice guy wants to save my life. He's just trying to help. What do I do? Completely blow him off!

_But,_ I told myself, _I was trying to save his life. What would have happened if the Pirates noticed or found us?__I couldn't let him risk his life._

But HE didn't know that. Frankly how could _I_ decide if he should or should not risk his life? I like to think I'm a good person! I like to think that I am worth the risk. Although...I guess in a way I was too scared to ask him. What if he disagreed?

I'd layer on the heartache. _I'm an innocent girl captured by pirate slave traders! Please, I could really use your help! Although If they find out they could kill us both, maybe tear out our tongues or eyes these guys are pretty crazy... but I'd be SO appreciative!  
_

He'd look at me. _Nope. Have a nice life, however long _THAT_ lasts._

...

No, I guess I couldn't handle that. Not that I thought he'd say it...but still.

The quarrel in my head was making me sick. It was a mix of sheer panic and the regret of what i'd done. Now I was going to be sold off to some monster of a man as someone's toy. How could I have been so completely stupid?

_Noble. Caring._

Definitely stupid.

The dry-heaves wouldn't stop and I was finally aware of the noise I was making. The door to the "Bathroom" was thrown open and through the watering in my eyes I saw the Captain with a look of shock on his face. Surprisingly not anger, but I'm sure he'd get there eventually.

"What the Spirits is wrong with you, girl!" He stood over me not knowing what to do. Hong came in.

"Sir, I think it's a panic attack. Situation is settling in."

"Took long enough. Calm down, Missy " He came over and rubbed clumsy circles on my back, because it didn't seem like he really cared. "Can't give a sick thing over to a wealthy client now can I?"

It was so miraculous the gall of this man whom I readily despised. I took a few breaths and tried to slow my heartbeat. Finally the body reactions I didn't know I was having started to ebb away. Eyes as wide as tea cups returned to their normal circumference and my nostrils stopped flaring in such an unattractive way.

I slowly stood up and met the Captains eyes. "Yes, _Sir_."

Then I passed out.

* * *

I woke up on a mattress that was at least three inches thicker than the last and no longer had a smell. The hole next to me was boarded up, and a plate of chocolate and meat was next to me.

_Ugh, fats._

Also, instead of brownish water, there was a little cup of steaming Jasmine Tea. Even when the tea looked like it had a sip taken out of it already, I was so excited to down it as fast as possible, burning my throat and not even caring.

I sat up and ignored the food sitting expectantly by my mattress. Light was peering through the rice paper wall and it's fingertip-sized holes. I assumed it was morning, but closer inspection made me realize that it was sunset.

Jumping up and upsetting the plate at my feet I got my eye as close to the hole as I could.

_Sunset!? How long was I out!_

It had been night when the boy and dog had left, how could it already be sunset again? I crossed the room and knocked lightly on the door frame.

Hong cracked it open a touch and peered through. "Finally awake?"

"Yeah, um, what time is it?"

"Nearly sundown. You slept all day, not like I can blame you what with all that wretchin'. You ain't gonna pass out or throw up some more are ya?"

I made a small diagnostic before answering, "You know, I may need a few more days rest. No reason to rush anything, especially if the good Captain wants a healthy product right?" I put my fingers to my chin in thought. "No, we should probably wait a few more days. I mean, look! My face isn't even healed yet!"

Hong stared at me. For a long while.

"Aw c'mon, Hong!"

"No. Time's up, Missy Now that you're all spooked instead of charging around actin' brave like the last few weeks ya been here, we can't afford you running off with the first person to lend a hand."

_Oh the Spirit forsaken irony._

What Hong said was both interesting and depressing. Was it true that if I had let it sink in more instead of trying to be brave and noble about it all, if I had let it scare the hog-monkeys out of me, I would have gone with that boy?

Damn.

"Now eat what you done spilled all over yer floor." He gestured to the forgotten sweets and red meat.

"It's a horrible combination."

He shrugged noncommittally. "Not the point." Then he left.

After suffering through the long hours of a sleepless night, partly due to stress and mostly due to my coma, the morning sun broke over the rooftops. It was the day I had been dreading all along.

The day I was sold.

As I was "prepped" for my debut I noticed the similarities between myself and the many pots and vases that my father and I had sold over the years. First I was starved and then force fed, sort of like the molding process as one would mold a clay piece. Though the Captain's lack of forethought was completely expected since I hardly gained any weight at all and instead of 'Level Zero' I looked like 'Level 1/2'.

And so, that led to "Plan B", (AKA, hide as much of my flaws and very sickly body as was possible). This was accomplished through a baggy Kimono and at least three pounds of makeup. I guess that made me 'Level 3 & 1/2'. Good for them.

As disgusting, clumsy, and downright stupid men slapped paint all over my face, neck, and hands, I closed my eyes and imagined I was a vase.

Brand new, just molded and glistening with a bronzed glaze over my earthy tones. I'm in the hands of a young girl. Her hair up in a clumsy bun yet still producing sweat on her brow in the heat. She seems disinterested in her task. She gazes at her color wheel and then back at me, probably deciding what to begin with, usually her most annoying task as it is hard to come up with new ideas. She does this for a while. Usually becoming distracted with a far off thought, leaving me to warm in the sun with infinite patience. Patient, because I know what is coming.

Finally she begins, and in my little clay heart I _know_ that no matter what is painted or carved onto my surface, I will turn into something beautiful. Even if done by anameature or apprentice, I am art nonetheless. Art can be fleeting or everlasting, and it is my right as a vase to decide what I can become.

When I open my eyes and gaze at my reflection in a small, cracked mirror, I nearly burst into tears. What I see before me isn't art at all. I'm just a beaten girl with blue bruises, tattered hair, soulless eyes, and a shoddy paint job that portrays me as a whore.

That's all I am. Just a lifeless shell of a girl that was once a dreamer.

I have no more dreams.


End file.
